Conventional electronic weapons have an interface to accept a cartridge. When activated by the weapon, the cartridge deploys electrodes toward a target. The spent cartridge is removed manually and replaced with another cartridge for another activation with the same or a different target. Several conventional cartridge types, each type with a different range (e.g., length of wire-tethers for electrodes), have been developed to operate interchangeably with a conventional electronic weapon via this interface. Users of conventional electronic weapons are trained to accommodate several limitations of an electronic weapon. For example, a user must be aware of the type of cartridge presently installed at the interface because the electronic weapon is not aware. Further, the control functions of a conventional electronic weapon are not responsive to the status of a cartridge (e.g. ready or already fired).
It is desirable to reduce the extent of user training and the burden on an electronic weapon user with respect to being aware of the capabilities of the electronic weapon with various cartridges.